Machine for coiling helical springs



(No Model.)

Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. W. FANGHER.

I MACHINE FOR GOILING HELIOAL SPRINGS.

Patented May 4, 1886.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

E. W. FANOHER.

MACHINE FOR GOILING HELIGAL SPRINGS. 1 I0. 34=1,228. Patented May 4, 1886.

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMERY -W. FANCHER, OF CANTON, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR COILING HELICAL SPRINGS.

illFL-CIE'ICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 341,228, dated May 1-, 1886. Application filed November 2, 1585. Serial No. 181,553. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMERY W. FANCHER, of Canton, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Helical Springs, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where- Figure l is a front view of my improved machine with the standards cut away. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same, looking from the right of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View, on an enlarged scale, of the spring-holding chuck. Fig. 5 is a detail View in cross-section of the chuck on plane denoted by line as x of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the chuck on plane denoted by line 3 3 of Fig. 4, showing also the end of the spring-blank. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on the same plane, showing the springblank partly coiled to shape. Fig. Sis a detail sectional view on the same plane, showing the spring at a further step in the process of bending it. Figs. 9, 10 and 1]. are perspective views of several of the curved formers used in bending the spring.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine that will coil up a flat bar of steel into the form of ahelical spring, and to this end my invention consists in the combination,with the main spindle of the machine of a chuck, having a fixed central stem, and a shell-like projection more or less in closing the stem, the roller backing up the spring while it is being coiled in the guide, in the sectional formers, and in details of the construction of the parts, as more particularly hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter a denotes the frameof the machine, that may be of--any convenient material, as iron, supported on legs or standards 6, and bearing on its upper side the upright standards 0, in which are supported in suitable bearings the shaft (1 and the spindle e. The shaft (2 bears a pulley or crank, f, or like means for rotating the shaft, which also bears the fixed cog-wheel d, that is in mesh with the cog-wheel e, that is fast to the spindle e.

My improved chuck used in this machine, has a shank, g, by means of which it is secured in the inner end of the spindle e, and on its opposite side a central projecting stem, 9, that is preferably rectangular in cross-section, and at asuitable distance away from this stem, projecting in the same direction, and more or less inclosing, on all sides it is a shell, 9 forming the whole or a large part of a single convolution of a helical curve.

In the upright standards a, on one side of the center of the frame. is pivoted a lever, ii, that supports a roller, h, that is adapted to be pressed against the outer surface of a springblank,1', while the latter is being coiled. This pressure is obtained, in the form shown, by the weight If, suspended on the outer end of the lever h on the farther side of its fulcrum in 'the standard a, and a rod, 7r, connected to a treadle, 71 fast to the floor, affords a movable support, by means of which the weight can be lifted and the pressure of the roll h taken off the springblank. On the front of the frame and opposite the chuck is snpportedin a standard, a a roller, (0*, and at one side of this there is fast to the frame a vertical guide, a, the front edge of which is in the same plane as the face of the chuck-body.

A suitable bar of steel or other metal, from which the spring is to be formed, is formed by hand into what I call a spring-blank, 2', that has the open eye 2" formed on one end and adapted to fit upon the stein of the chuck.

The method of coiling a spring on this machine is as follows: The eye of the blank is fitted upon the stem 9", within the shell 9 with the outer end of the blank supported on the roller a, and against the guide a, and with the pressure-roller h in contact with the outer side of the blank as it is held in the chuck. The spindle c is then set in motion in a direction that will wind the spring about the outer side of the shell and just before the end of this shell is reached a former, j, is

held with its end against the face of the chuck,

and it is held against the edge of the convo- I lution in such position as to continue the helix, and as the shaft continues to turn the spring-blank will be wound about the outside of the former, (see Figs. 6, 7, and 8,) and when the end of this former j is reached the formers j in quarter-sections or less, are used to extend the shell and permit the further coiling of the spring. It is evident that these sections may be of any desired length of curveeither the half-section, quarter-sections, or other fractional part-and that they may be used in any number, limited only by the length of the coil to be formed.

An essential feature of my improvement consists in the use of the helical shell that backs up the spring-blank at the beginning of the coiling process, and prevents the breaking of the stem, which was of almost constant occurrence in prior devices.

A further improvement consists in the use of a pressureroller supporting the spring upon its outer side while it is being coiled, as this enables me to keep a fiat bar perfectly flat during the coiling process. Vithout the support of the pressure-roller the spring while coiling would be curved across its length, so as to make the back of the spring concaved, and this greatly limits the strength and resilience of a spring of any given size.

A further advantage consists in the use of the outer supporting-roller and the guide, by means of which the spring is formed in a helix, with the edges of the helix upon one side, all substantially in the same plane; and a further advantage is due to the use of the sectional former, by which the length of the helical coil may be indefinitely continued, the formers being readily removed as soon as the spring is coiled.

I do not limit myself to the particular form of the central stem or of the eye adapted to fit about the stem, as any means which will hold the end from slipping while the blank is being coiled into the helix will answer the same ends.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination with a driving-spindle, e,

a chuck, 9, having a centrally-projecting stem, 0 and a helical shell inclosing the stem to a greater or less extent, all substantially as described.

2. In combination with a chuck, 9, having a centrally-projecting stern and ahelical shell, 5 the sectional formers that extend and continue the helix, all substantially as described.

3. In combination with the spindle e, the chuck g, with the helical shell 9 the pressureroll h, adapted to be forcibly held against the outer face of a spring while the latter is being coiled, all substantially as described.

4. In combination with the driving-spindle c, the chuck 9, having the central stem, 9 the shell the sectional formers, the pressure-roller h, supporting-roller a, and guide (0*, all substantially as described.

5. In combination with the driving-spindle c, a chuck, g. with a helical shell, 9, the sectional formers, the pressure-roller h, borne on the lever h, the weight h movable support h and the treadle hi all substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination with the supportingframe a, the shaft d and spindle c, with intermeshing gears d and 6', fast to the respective shafts, the chuck g, with the stem 9 and helical shell 9 the sectional formers, and the pressure-roller h, adapted to be forcibly held against the outside of the spring while coil- 7o ing, all substantially as described.

EMERY WV. FANCHER.

\Vitnesses:

A. O. TANNER, H. R. WILLIAMs. 

